If you’re looking for precision pliers, Tronex are spectacular, but pricey, and Xuron are inexpensive, but still managed to be made in the USA. There are other recommended brands in between these two. Maybe that’s a discussion for another post.

I like the few Iriwn NWS’s I have, and looking to add a few actual NWS models to the collection, though prefer the Felo’s color scheme the best. I also enjoy my Knipex of course. Stocked up on those from Sears over the last year, and have been more than pleased.

I have a set of extended Kobalt mini-pliers which have held up pretty well. The finish has held up much better than the Stanley mini’s I started with. I did just pick up a set of Craftsman mini pliers, which while made in China, seem to feel of better quality. Nice rubber handles, and come in a carrying case. Can’t say I would have paid $40, but Sears covered the the cost w/ their rewards program 😀

I have been a fan of Knipex since I got my first Cobra pliers. They are amazing. I appreciate any high quality plier that works and I prefer the older vinyl dipped handle pliers as opposed to the newer soft squishy handles. The new ones seem so degrade and break down from greases, cleaners, etc. I’m not sure if they all do or what exactly is causing it, but I don’t like it.

I agree, that in my hands some of those so-called ergonomic (squishy) grips just feel awkward to me – but I do have some that I like better than others. I have lots of older Channellock pliers – many of which have been moved to my summer or winter places – having been supplanted by Knipex pliers that get more regular use. More often than not the pliers I grab are from this list:

I have NWS and Knipex mostly. They are great. However, I was wondering recently whether you really needed to spend a lot of money on pliers. Are cheaper pliers really that much worse? As a corollary, is there a tool category that you should also spend extra money on?

Have you never had to use cheap pliers? They strip out fasteners, don’t cut anything, and bust your knuckles. I spend money on tools I regularly use like pliers, cutters, and screwdrivers. Also, good drill bits, I like the Norseman black and gold ones. I usually only cheap out on tools when the’re one timers, and hope they survive just in case I ever need them again. Oh, also for loaner tools I don’t expect to ever see again or have to use in an abusive manner or environment.

Cheap pliers have their place. I have some super-cheap slip joint and long nose that I still keep around and reach for when I just need pliers for a simple task.

I have found that sometimes, the high end pliers are TOO sharp/hard/grabby, and can gouge the work piece, where cheap pliers have smaller/duller teeth and will do what you need without leaving marks behind. I like having the option to reach for a nice pair with long handles that can bite into something if that’s what I need, but I don’t think I’d stick with only having sharp high-end stuff because then you need to reach for some other tool or hope pliers covers will work – and the sharp pliers often bite though those.

One thing about the NWS and Knipex comfort grip, and similar styles from Klein, Channellock, etc. is really being able to squeeze the jaws together without much discomfort, plus the longer handles available for more leverage. Cheap pliers with short handles and barely any surface area on the standard grips really won’t cut it if you need lots of grip and leverage. On the other hand, those cheap standard grip pliers might be just the thing if you have a tight spot and just need some pliers to get at something.

Plus, as mentioned, it’s not a bad idea to have cheap tools in your arsenal as loaners you might not get back or for situations where you might need to sacrifice a tool.

I’m not saying to go buy Harbor Freight ones where the jaws don’t even line up….. I’m just wondering whether the NWS pliers are really that much more functional for me than Channellocks would have been.

The thing about the NWS and Knipex over Channellock is usually a slimmer head, or completely different head/jaw design overall. A thicker, stronger head/jaw than the comparable NWS/Knipex may be a plus where access isn’t an issue.

It’s really up to the user to decide which particular tool is best suited to the job at hand or the work they plan to do.

They are all pretty functional as pliers, and there are plenty of designs that are almost the same between brands.

Sometimes it just comes down to price, ease of buying, or if you prefer US or Germany as the country of manufacture.

Nothing wrong with having pliers of multiple brands in the styles only they make or that you prefer, either.

I got about 5 different types of the Irwins made by NWS and they are my favorites for most things. I also have the NWS cutters which are great for me (having a few hand/wrist problems). I was disappointed to see the Irwins discontinued and wouldn’t buy the substitutes, they just don’t have the quality. If I were to add to what I have, I’d go for NWS now. I like the Knipex for some things as well. I still use the very large Channelocks for a few other things, but always reach for the NWS-made tools first.

To my mind, the NWS-made pliers are the legendary ones you pass along to your great-grandchildren. They are so well made.

It was through this website that I was made aware of these brands, so thank you Stuart!

In the last 4 or 5 years I have only been purchasing Knipex pliers and I’m absolutely loving them. I probably have about 10 or 12 different pairs now and they have never let me know. I have also noticed that their finish holds up well. My friend has some Felo pliers and I noticed that they tend to rust easily.

There are different types of pliers so it’s hard to say any one brand is the “best” without particular criteria. Not all types of pliers are avallable within any one brand.

Like so many other tools, what’s “best” depends on the particular task and the particular tool from certain brands that are best suited to that task.

I like Knipex for most things, but their pliers made in the last few years certainly aren’t as high quality as they used to be. You can get a good pair if you have enough to pick from, otherwise it’s luck of the draw as to what you get and how good it will be quality-wise. The NWS/Felo stuff seems like it’s better in mostly cosmetic ways, but they do have that nice big handle grip if you want that without having to specify it seperately.

I have to disagree on the Craftsman, though. The many Western Forge made regular Craftsman and several versions of the earlier Craftsman Professional pliers I have are some of my most used tools. It would be hard to find a set of pliers with sharper teeth or more bite. I do like the comfort handles of the Craftsman Professonal more than the thin black regular handles, but, like my regular Knipex, the regular handles are great for automotive work and tight spots where the thicker handles are a hindrance to holding the pliers in a different way other than directly squeezing the handles together.

So, I don’t really think there is any one “best” brand in pliers, you really need an assortment of the “best” types of pliers across several brands to get there, and even then, you will probably find other tasks where the pliers you have aren’t as well suited as some less expensive specialty pliers, maybe even from a budget brand.

I have pliers from Knipex, NWS and others but the best are my CK long nose and Blekmann water pump pliers. Had both more than 40 years and still as good as ever. The Bleckmans were go given to me around 1975. Not sure how how old they are but they make a new pair of Knipex Cobras feel cheap.

Bleckmans don’t seem to be available anymore, but if was looking for a quality plier set CK would have to be on the list

In the 50s dad had channelocks he gave them to me. I’ll cherish them I’ll never use them. My Favs are Irwin….. I’ve had craftsman and harbor freight. hf the worse. craftsman very good. but the Irwins are the best.

Cheap pliers are not. I was a fan of cheap tools until I started working in the field. When you have to leave site and drive 30minutes each way on your own time to buy something you hope is in stock, it’s not cheap. Let’s talk about busted knuckles from slip jaw pliers slipping. Again lost time, injured hand, possibly stitches and then be honest when it heals is it ever as good as it was before the injury? All that to save $27?
No thanks. I am a professional; my work, billable rate, and reputation reflect that. I don’t leave things to chance. Why would I handicap myself with inferior tools?

Knipex were the established premium brand long before NWS were introduced in the UK market, but I nowadays I rate NWS just as highly as Knipex and much prefer either of them over CK.
I too inherited some miniature Lindstrom precision box joint pliers. They were sized for electronics assembly work but wonderful quality.

The general nature of the question and the fact that they’re asking for a set makes it seem like they don’t know what they need. Knipex, NWS, Klein and Channellock are the ones I buy and the obvious answers. HD has a set of 4 Channellock pliers for $35. Seems like a good place to start. I believe you get slip joint, long nose, diagonal cutters and tongue and groove.

When did Irwin start doing that BS with the NWS pliers? I picked up the 8″ diagonal cutters with the “powerslot” when the price dipped to $25 on Amazon recently. They were made in Germany.

I have some Knipex and some Felo/NWS from recent black friday KC Tool sale. I would rate Knipex slightly ahead of the NWS. I do like the fact that the NWS have a clip attachment point. Although my Fantastico side cutters seem to have some slop along hinge point. They close correctly as they are lined up correctly but just a bit more slop than what I would figure them to have. Probably just a bit of ocd on my part.

I love the knipex wrench plier and the knipex cobra. I have a mini Knipex Cobra and mini Knipex plier wrench in my car and they saved my butt the other days. I also have a few irwins rebranded NWS that I like. The NWS Ergo Combi is one of my frequently use plier. I love the angle pliers head.

The Irwin quick adjusting vise grip are a good option to have around the house and plumbing related task. They are cheap enough that I can afford to have multiple pair. They are also large enough that you can get a strong grip and leverage.

I have been using NWS pliers for the last couple of years, specifically the set in the link below. I had been very happy with them up until a couple of weeks back when I had the rubber overmoulds slipping off on the combination pliers and starting to shift on the side cutters.

They have not been subjected to heat higher than ambient nor come into contact with any liquids. A little disappointing when my 30yo Knipex pliers have not done this.

Anyhow, I will just pull the overmoulds back and use some spray contact adhesive and see how that goes.

I should also add that my boss has had the NWS VDE pliers for the same amount of time and used in the same conditions (ie; on the same jobs) and his have not had this happen. I am hoping that my case is just a one off or at least a rarity.

It’s nice to have both the 7″ and the 10″ pliers wrench, if you ever need the smaller size for stuff where the 10″ is too big.

If access isn’t an issue, the 10″ is often the best deal, sometimes priced lower or only a few bucks more than the 7″. You’ll get the most leverage with the much longer handles of the 10″ and way more clamping force.

I also prefer the comfort grip handles, but it’s way easier to find the regular handle versions and they are usually better priced, sometimes the Cobras and Pliers Wrenches with comfort handles are priced higher than a few bucks more over the regular handles, and if you plan to do any kind of messy/greasy jobs with them, the smooth, slick regular red handles can be easier to wipe clean.

This is a pretty loaded question and extremely broad. What kind of pliers are you referring to and what application are they pertaining to? There’s a hundred different types of pliers and they all serve a specific purpose to best suit the needs of the pertinent application to which the pliers are intended to be used for. Are you asking about tin snips, needle nose, linesman, wire cutters, snap-ring, crimping, wire strippers, locking pliers, bolt cutters, long reach pliers, tile nippers, end cutting pliers, hog-ring, cable cutters, electronics pliers? This is just a few of the vast amounts of pliers that are all intended to serve a specific purpose. I’m sure I’m forgetting some, but this is off the top of my head. I think it would be difficult to choose a favorite type of pliers or to pick a best brand being that there are several manufacturers for each type of pliers. Also how many people do you know that use every type of pliers made on a daily basis?

As far as favorites go I’d have to say anything that’s comfortable in my hands that keeps an edge and keeps sharp teeth and the rivet doesn’t loosen too much and the grips don’t ever come off and don’t start to rust within a week. As far as brand goes, I’d probably go with Channellock because they have been a quality brand for a long time and they haven’t cut corners in their manufacturing methods. And they don’t overcharge for their products based on their name brand like some of the more expensive brands do. I’m still baffled how some people are foolish enough to think that a $60 pair of diagonal cutters are so much better than the $17 pair that was manufactured using the same methods and cuts just as efficiently and will last just as long and is just as comfortable to use. I’ve yet to see any credible merit that warrants the overpriced amount that some of these brands are charging for their products.

For crude around the house stuff I reach for an old pair of craftsman robogrip pliers I have had just about forever. I was given them as a gift years ago and thought they were gimmicky, but have found over the years they work surprisingly well for misc crude grabbing of things – garden hoses, nail and staple pulling, etc when i dont care about marring a finish or rounding a nut. I seem to reach for them a lot.

One comment on Channellock: a few years ago I broke a set of lightly used, relatively new (less than 2 years old) 440 tongue & groove pliers and returned them for warranty replacement. I was told sorry, no warranty, they were clearly abused. Hmmm, no, not at all. This definitely dampened my enthusiasm for Channellock products.

I got a set of Dewalt pliers on sale a few years ago and loved them. Strong, but the grips were great. Now, 3 or 4 years later I would hesitate to buy again. The locking mechanisms have worn down, building up enough slop that they won’t stay latched, and have some play in the actual clamping process… which makes holding very thin or delicate items nearly impossible.

I like both the NWS and Grip-On (r), Spanish made locking pliers, from Lee Valley. I got complete sets of each. Channel Lock fencing pliers and end nippers are good when I am working on a fence. For my vol fire fighter kit I have the specialized Channel Lock pliers.
As ToolOf The Trade put it – you don’t want to be like the 2 year old with a hammer. Different pliers for different jobs.

My best pliers are a pair by Stanley from 30+ years ago when I still lived in London. They have properly designed handles that cannot pinch your fingers. Quite why that simple change hasn’t become standard I’ll never understand.

I picked up the lever lock side cutters from NWS years ago to try out on a whim. I still use them every day at work and they still cut through everything like butter with minimal effort. All my hand tools (except screwdrivers which are Felo) are made by NWS now.

Snapon makes some of the best pliers I have used. Three standout for me. The PWZ pliers work great I have the #1 and 0 sizes. Good substitute for occasional pipe wrrmch replacememt. I think they are made in Spain for Bahco. Their high leverage plier is also great. Finally I own a mini plier kit of which the flush cut nipper I use slmost daily to cut and pull 23ga pins and 18ga brads. None of these tools are cheap but they do go on sale off the truck sometimes or are packaged as a set occasionally too.

I also like Knipex. Xcelite and Utica and Diamond are good brands to find at flea markets. Those have all served me well.

I looked into 8″ long nose pliers recently, the narrow kind like in the picture, wanted an ergo grip but the comfort/ergo grip on virtually all brands is like the Felo one in the picture. They have this bump out near the hinge which limits the reach. Channellock has a better comfort grip design without the contour, but, and maybe it’s the crosshatching, finding a pair that line up perfectly is needle in a haystack work – you can’t buy online and the style i wanted wasn’t available locally. So i got the Knipex with the dipped grip…never have to worry about machining quality from them, always perfect (in my limited 4 tool experience).

I’ve always bought cheap pliers until I bought one of the Knipex Pliers Wrench when I saw that there was a sale/coupon a couple years ago at KCTools. I’ve used the heck out of it, especially for plumbing where I usually just mar the finish on my bathroom fixtures. I also found one of the Klein electrical sets at the end of last Christmas for $15 that included a really nice pair of linesman pliers.

I would like to get a nice pair of needle nose and side cutters. I am really intrigued by the pivot point/compound type but wondering if they would be useful at all for what I use around the house. I like to keep them to under $15 or so a pair, if possible.

I use my old half worn out Leatherman that I carry in my pocket most of the time, my tool bag has Channel lock, Klein and I have no idea what brand some of my others are
I can say I’ve received some of the robo-grip type as gifts, they tend to not get used

Nothing special. I have the hex jaw and flat jaw ones. The hex jaws are nice in that they have fine adjustment. The flat jaw are just a slip joint. Neither of then grips really well. If you want slip joint, go Channel Lock. If you want hex jaw, go with Knipex. That’s what I did after purchasing my Milwaukee pliers. The Milwaukee sets are for home use now. Knipex I use everyday in the job.

All I can say is stay away from the regular chinese Irwins for anything other than occasional use. The steel is way too soft. Mine are constantly mushrooming/rounding out and needing to be filed into shape. Junk.

Does anyone happen to know a line of really nice diagonal/cutting pliers with a simple latch to keep them closed? I’m sick of stabbing myself with mine and it seems like I can only find junk ones with a silly closing latch.